Flatiron



1,620,183 March 8, 1927. M. c. BERSTED FLATIRON Filed Sept. 28, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. Men/v G 55/?5750 QQQWW/ TTORNEY March 8, 1927.

1,620J83 M. c. BERSTED FLATIRON Filed Sent. 28, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG 5. 5

INVENTOR. wk 7'//\/ 675595750 ATTORNEY March 8, 1927.

. 1,520,183 M. Q. BERSTED FLATIRON Filed Sept. 28, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5,PZ a 6i 1N VEN TOR. Mk? T/N G BEES 7'50.

QQQM M A TTORNEY UNITED STATES Patented" Mar. 8, 1927.

MARTIN C. IBERSTED, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

FLATIRON.

Application filed September 28, 1922. Serial No. 591,094.

My invention relatesto electric fiat irons, more particularly toautomatic heat-regulating flat irons and the objects of my inventionare:first, to provide a flat iron of this class which will be held at asubstantially constant temperature when in use; second,

to provide a flat iron of this class in which the heat will beautomatically regulated,

thus avoiding scorching of fabrics and also reducing to a minimum thewaste of time in waiting for the iron to heat up whlle engaging 1nironing as is customary with the conventional iron; third, to provide anelectric heatingapparatus in which the electrical energy isautomatically shut off when a certainpredetermined high temperature isreached; fourth,to provide an electric heating apparatus of this classin which the electrical energy is automatically turned on when a certainlow temperature is reached;

fifth, to provide novelly constructed automatic electric heat regulatingmeans; sixth, to provide novel means for adjusting said automaticelectric heat regulating means; seventh, to provide a novellyconstructed handle for flat irons; eighth, to provide a novellyconstructed electric flat iron, and ninth, to provide a flat iron ofthls class which is very simple and economical of constructionproportionate to its functions, durable, efficient, reliable. compactand which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order..

lVith these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter myinvention consistsof certain novel features of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter describedin detail and particularly set forth in the appendedclaims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters ofreference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure ;1 is a plan view of my flat iron; Fig.2 is a side elevationalview, thereof; Fig.3 i's alongitudinal sectional elevational viewthereof showing certain'parts and portions'in elevation to facilitatetheillustration; 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view thereof takenthrough 44 of Figs showing certain parts and portions in plan tofacilitate, the illustration; Fig. 5 is a'jfragmentary transversesectional view taken through 5'5 of Fig. 3, also showing certain partsand portions in"ele vation; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged transversesecof said casing into'tlie upper plate 4.

tional view similar tothat shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rearelevational View. with certain parts and portions broken away and insection to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 8 is a fragmentarytransverse sectional view taken through SS of Fig; 3; Fig. 9 is afragmentary rear elevational view of a slightly modified form ofconstruction of my flat iron showing a different means of manualadjustment for certain specific heats and Fig. 10 is a fragmentarysectional View thereof taken through 1010 of Fig. 9.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The base plate 1, insulating material 2, heating elements 3, upper platet, screws 5, casing 6, screw 7. handle supporting member 8, plate 9,handle 10, bolt 11, bracket 12, screws 13, thermostat member 14,diaphragm 15, retaining ring member 16, nut 17, circuitbreaking membersupport 18, screw 19, terminal support 2O. screw 21, terminal posts 22,insulating washers 23 and 24:, conductors 25, 26 and 27, screws 28 and29, conductor 30, adjusting screw 31. mercury 32, nut 33, the endsupport 31 and the screws 35 comtitute the principal parts and portionsof my flat iron structure in its preferred form of con- 8 struction.

In my electric flat iron the base plate 1. the insulating materialQ'Which consists preferably of a series'of sheets of mica, and theresistance heating elements 3 are of the conventional type and arepositioned relatively toeach other in the conventional manner. The upperplate 4 whiclris secured to the base plate by the screws 5 and positionsthe said heating elements between the same and said base plate is alsosimilar to that of the flat irons now in use. The heating elements, theupper plate 1 and other members as will be described hereafter areenclosed by a casing 6 which is positional above the base plate 1 and issecured in said position by the hollowheadedscrew 7 which extendsthrough the upper central portion A boss 6 is provided on the underside'of said casing surrounding th-e screw opening therein which spacesthe upper portion ofsaid casing from the upper plate a and preventsdistortion of said casingwhen secured in position. A handlesupportingmember 8 is prov ded above the caslng 6 and is secured theretoby means of the screw 7. Said supporting member.

handle supporting member is provided with a bridged channel shapedportion 8 at its lower end and is provided with downwardly extendinglugs 8 at said lower end which are adaptedto fit into correspondingslots 6 in said casing for positioning said handle supporting memberrelatively thereto. Said handle supporting member is also provided atits lower central portion with. a cup shaped, recess portion 8 for thereception of the head of the screw 7. It will be noted that the handlesupporting member 8 is so constructed at its lower portion as to provideample circulation by air so as to keep the same as cool as possible. 'Aplate 9 which serves as a name plate for the flat iron is provided abovethe lower channel shaped portion of said handle supporting member toconceal the head of the bolt 7 and is secured to said handle supportingmember as shown in Figs. 3 and 8 of the drawings by retaining lugsextending downwardly therefrom into slots in said handle arms 8 and 8 ofthe handle member 8 by the bolt 11 which extends therethrough and issecured in position by the .nut 11*. Said handle 10 is provided withgradually curved slightly helical. grooves 10* which extend around thelower side of the same which are adapted to receive the fingers of thehand to facilitate the handling of the iron.

- A bracket member 12 is provided within the-rear portion of the casing6 and is secured to the inner face of the same by means of the screws13.- Said bracket 12 is adapted to support the thermostat member 14which consists of a downwardly extending tubular-- portion 14 at itslower end and an upwardly and outwardly extending curved flanged portion14 at its other end. Said thermostat member is slightly beveled at theperiphery of its flanged ortion and isalso provided at the nornia llyupper side and near theperiphery thereof with an annular groove 14. Adiaphragm 15 is positioned.

over the upper portion of the thermostat member and is provided'with anannular 'ofi'set portion 15 which corresponds with and extends into theannular groove portion of the thermostat member 14. The diaphragm 15 isalso provided with an annular flanged portion which extends downwardlyover a portion of the bevelled outer-edge of said diaphragm member. Saidmembers 14 and 15 are secured together by an annular retaining ringmember 16 which engages the upper portion of the diaphragm 15 at itsouter edge and extends around and below the outer edge of the flangedportion of the thermostat member. The tubular portion of the said member14 is provided at its lower end with an internally threaded The handle10 which is preferably made of wood is secured to the upper ends of theupwardly-extending portion 14 which is adapted to receive the threadedportion .17 of the nut 17. Said thermostat member is also tapered on itslower end and adapted to engage at said beveled end a correspondinglytapered recess portion 17 of the nut 17. A quantity of mercury 32 isprovided in the tubular por-' tion of the thermostat member 14 andextends up to and engages the diaphragm 15.

The bracket 12 is provided on one side with an upwardly offset andoutwardly extendingslug 12*, and on the opposite side I mil supportingmember 20 which extends over the resilient circuit bre akingmembersupport 18 and the diaphragm l5 and is secured to the lug 12 by thescrew 21. Said terminal supporting member 20 is also adapted to securethe thermostat member 14 inits supporting bracket 12. posts 22 extendupwardly from, and are secured to the terminal supporting member 20,

as shown .in Fig. 3 ofvthe drawing, and are insulated from said memberby the insulating washers 23 which are positioned in countersunkrecesses in the terminal sup-- porting member and which position thelower portions of the terminal osts centrally in the enlarged holesprovided therein. The lower portions of the terminal posts extendtherthrough and are secured in position to said supporting member 20 bythe nuts 22 which are also insulated'from the member 20 by theinsulating washers 24. One of said terminal posts 22 is electrically Theterminal connected to the screw 19 the conductor 25, which screw extendsthrough and is insulated from the lug 12 of the bracket 12 and thecircuit breaking member support 18, and is connected at its lower end tothe one end of the heating elements 3 by the flexible conductor 26,which is also insulated from the bracket 12 in the manner shown in Fig.

6 of the drawings. The other of the terminal posts is similarlyconnected by the flexible conductor 27 to a screw 28 which serves as acircuit breaker and extends through and is insulated from the free endof the resilient circuit breaking member support 18 as shown best inFig. 6 of the drawings. The screw 28 is provided at the end extendingthrough the support 18 with a reduced circuit breaking point, preferablymade of tungsten or platinum, and is adapted to engage a similar pointprovided at the end of the screw 29 which serves as the other circuitbreaker member and extends through the lug 12 from the underside thereofand which is insulated therefrom, preferably as shown in the drawings.Said screw 29 is electrically connected to the other end of the coils 3by means of the flexible conductor 30. At the central portion of theresilient circuit breaking member support 18 there is provided aninternally threaded lug 18*' which is adapted to receive and positionthe adjusting screw 31, which is adapted to engage at its lower end thediaphragm 15, when raised by the expansion of the mercury 32 provided inthe thermostat member 14 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of thedrawing. A

lock nut 33 is provided on the adjusting screw 31 to lock the same inpositionrelatively to the member 18 when adjusted to break theelectrical circuit between the points of the screws 28 and 29 at apredetermined high temperature. From the several views of the drawingsit is seen that the casing 6 is so constructed as to' conceal andenclose the conductors and circuit breaking and operating mechanism andthus reduce to a person disturbing the proper functioning of the vitalmembers of the apparatus. It will be particularly noted ,that theadjusting screw 31 is accessible from the outside only through the smallopening 6 in the casing 6 and the opening 20 in the terminal supportingmember 20 by the special adjusting wrench means shown by dotted lines inFig.-

6 of the drawing. A support 34 is provided at the rear end of the ironfor supporting the same on its end when not in use and is secured at itslower end to the base plate by the lugs 34 extending downwardly from thelower portion of said support into re cesses 1 in the upper face of therear por tion of said base plate. Said support 34 is secured at itsupper end to lugs 8 which extend outwardly from the rear, upwardlyextending arm 8 of the handle member 8, by means of the screws 35. Saidsupport also serves as an enclosure for the lower rear portion of theiron and also as a guard for the terminal posts 22.

In the slightly modified form of construction of my electric flat ironas shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings I have provided an indicatingmember 36-which is provided at its inner end with a transverselypositioned resilient sleeve 36 which is adapted to receive therethroughthe adjusting screw 31 which in this modified form of construction isslightly longer and is provided with threads having a greater load thanthe one previously described. The resilient sleeve of said indicatingmember is provided with outwardly extending lug portions 36 which areadapted to receive the screw 37 for securing said indicating member tosaid adjusting screw. Said indicating member extends through transversecircular slots 6 which is adapted to ride in the circular groove 34 insaid rear support and is adapted to be engaged by the hand of theoperator and shifted to the various positions indicated by the lettersL, M, and H impressed in the support 34 adjacent to the groove therein,or any position intermediate said letters. It will be noted that in thismodified form of construction the screw 31 is adjusted for an averageheat and the indicating member is then secured thereto, which indicatingmember permits of slight adjustment of the heat by the operator asdesired when ironing or pressing thin or heavy fabrics. It will also benoted that in this modified form of construction the manual and easyadjustment of heat as desired will provide a more even temperature andwill not break and close the electrical circuit as often, thereforepreserving the breaker points.

It is obvious that theindicating member shown in the modified form ofconstruction maybe used in conjunction with'the adj usting screw andlock nut disclosed in the preferred form by positioning the loci: nut

above the sleeve portion of the indicating member and adjusting thescrew as previous- 1y described.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement. of parts and portions and a certain modificationthereof, I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction,combination, and arrangement nor to the modification, but desire toinclude in the scope of my invention the construction,coinbination andarrangement, substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

It is obvious from the previous description and the drawings, that Ihave provided an electric flat iron, which can be kept at asubstantially constant temperature; that I have provided a flat iron ofthis class in which the heat will be automatically-regulated; that Ihave provided an electric heating apparatus in which the electricalenergy is automatically shut off when a certain pre determined hightemperature is reached by the expansion of mercury in the thermostatmember 14, forcing upwardly the diaphragm 15. and disengaging the"breaker portions at ends of the screws 28 and 29; that I have providedan electric heating apparatus of this class in which the electricalenergy is automatically turned on when a certain low temperature isreached; that I have provided a novelly constructed automatic heatregulating means; that I have provided a novel means for adjusting saidautomatic heat novelly constructed handle for flat irons;

compact, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a flat iron, a support, a stationary thermostat member positionedrelative to said support, a ieldable thermostat member mounted onsaic'stationary thermostat memher, a fluid heat expansible materialpositioned in said stationary thermostat member adapted to engage andexert a force on said yieldable thermostat member, and a circuitbreaking means positioned contiguous to and adapted to be actuated bysaid yieldable thermostat member.

2. In a. flat iron, a support, a stationary thermostat member positionedrelative to said support and provided with a tubular portion, a thin,circular, suddenly yieldable thermostat member, an expansible fluidmetal positioned in the tubular portion of said stationary thermostatmember, adapted to expand longitudinally therein and engage and exert aforce on said yieldable thermostat member, and a circuit breaking meanspositioned contiguous to and adapted to be actuated by said yieldablethermostat member.

3. In a flat iron, a support, a stationary thermostat member positionedrelative to said support and provided with a tubular portion, a thin,circular, suddenly yieldable theri'nostat member, and an expansiblefluid metal positioned in the tubular portion of said stationarythermostat member, adapted to expand longitudinally therein and engageand exert a force on'said yieldable thermostat member.

4. In a flat iron, a support, a stationary thermostat member positionedrelative to said support and provided with a tubular portion, a thin,circular, suddenly yieldable thermostat member, an expansible fluidmetal positioned in the tubular portion of said 1 stationary thermostatmember adapted to ex- I .pand longitudinally therein and engage and berand adapted to be shifted by said suddenly yieldable thermostat member.

5. In a flat iron, a supporting means, a stationary thermostat memberpositioned relative to said supporting means, a yieldable thermostatmember mounted -on said stationary thermostat member, and a separate,fluid, heat-expansible material positioned in said stationary thermostatmember adapted to exert a force on said yieldable thermostat member.

6. In a flat iron, a supporting means, a stationary thermostat memberpositioned relative to'said supporting means and provided with a tubularportion, a thin, circular, suddenly yieldable thermostat member mountedover and closing the one end of the tubular portion of said stationarythermostat member, and a relatively expansible fluid metal positioned insaid tubular portion, said fluid metal engaging with and adapted toexert a force on said yieldable thermostat member.

7. In a flat iron, a casing for said flat iron, a thermostat casinghaving an expandible head at one end, mercury in said thermostat casing,and a circuit breaking means positioned within said first casing and inoperative relation with the expandible head of said thermostat casing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego,California, this 22nd day of September, 1922.

MARTIN C. BERSTED.

